Starting pistol fired for Gippsland offshore wind projects

Clean Energy Council CEO Kane Thornton today said:“The past 12 months have marked a sea change for Australia’s offshore wind industry. We’ve had the legislation and the regulations, and now we have the first offshore wind area in the country declared. We look forward to the declaration of subsequent areas around the country in 2023. This will be vital to build momentum across the industry in Australia and reach important economies of scale through the supply chain.”Today’s announcement fires the starting pistol for individual offshore wind projects to apply for Feasibility Licences, which once granted will allow them to move towards a final plan for these game-changing offshore wind farms.Offshore wind farms have the potential to create thousands of jobs, bring significant investment and provide enormous amounts of clean energy into Australia’s electricity system.Clean Energy Council Director of Energy Generation & Storage Nick Aberle today said:“We note that the final declared area omits large sections of the draft area. As the industry is still in its infancy, we would have preferred to see more projects be given the opportunity to secure a Feasibility Licence, which would allow them to conduct deeper assessments about the suitability of a given site.“There is still much work to be done as these projects develop, and the Clean Energy Council looks forward to working with federal and state governments on port infrastructure, transmission and grid connection issues, environmental assessments, and workforce development.”